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Aspects of the bioethanol use at the turbocharged SI engine

Article  in  Thermal Science · January 2015

DOI: 10.2298/TSCI150212179O

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Obeid, Z., et al.: Aspects of the Bioethanol Use at the Turbocharged ...
THERMAL SCIENCE: Year 2015, Vol. 19, No. 6, pp. 1959-1966 1959

ASPECTS OF THE BIOETHANOL USE

AT THE TURBOCHARGED SPARK IGNITION ENGINE

by

Zuhair OBEID, Alexandru CERNAT *,

Constantin PANA, and Niculae NEGURESCU
Thermotechnics, Thermal Engines and Equipments,
Refrigeration Installations Department, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

Original scientific paper

DOI: 10.2298/TSCI150212179O

In the actual content of pollution regulations for the automotives, the use of alterna-
tive fuels becomes a priority of the thermal engine scientific research domain. From
this point of view bioethanol can represents a viable alternative fuel for spark igni-
tion engines offering the perspective of pollutant emissions reduction and combus-
tion improvement. The paper presents results of the experimental investigations of
a turbo-supercharged spark ignition engine (developed from a natural admission
spark ignition engine fuelled with gasoline) fuelled with bioethanol-gasoline
blends. The engine is equipped with a turbocharger for low pressure supercharg-
ing, up till 1.4 bar. An correlation between air supercharging pressure-compres-
sion ratio-dosage-spark ignition timing-brake power is establish to avoid knocking
phenomena at the engine operate regime of full load and 3000 min–1. The influences
of the bioethanol on pollutant emissions level are presented.
Key words: ethanol, engine performance, ignition timing, combustion, emissions

Introduction
To improve spark ignition (SI) engines energetically and pollution performance re-
searches looks for alternative fuels use. From the alternative fuels used for automotive SI en-
gines, bioethanol represents a viable fuel due to its better combustion proprieties, of its inex-
haustible renewable resources and the possibilities of diminishing the consumption of the
classic petroleum products [1]. Also the use of the bioethanol as an alternative fuel for the auto-
motive SI engines is recommended because of nowadays pollutant norms which become more
severe, especially for NOx emissions and for the greenhouse gas, CO2. At the ethanol use the
NOx emission level could be reduced by 50-60%, as Francisco shows [2].
In general, the bioethanol is considered a viable alternative fuel for SI engines due to
its advantages [1, 3]:
– bioethanol has compatible properties with operating conditions required by SI engine,
– it can be manufactured from agricultural and waste products, and
– the distribution and storage possibilities are facilitated by the actual infrastructure for
gasoline.

* Corresponding author; e-mail: cernatalex@yahoo.com

 Obeid, Z., et al.: Aspects of the Bioethanol Use at the Turbocharged ...
1960 THERMAL SCIENCE: Year 2015, Vol. 19, No. 6, pp. 1959-1966

Several research works highlight the effects of ethanol use on the performance, pollut-
ant emissions, combustion characteristics, and the corrosion effect on some pieces of the SI en-
gines.
Bioethanol has better combustion properties comparative to gasoline:
– greater laminar flame velocity (almost 1.36 times higher versus gasoline) [4],
– lower adiabatic flame temperature (1930 °C, comparative to 2290 °C ) [4],
– greater octane number (RON 107 comparative to 95-98 for gasoline) [5],
– larger oxygen content at molecular level (34.7%, comparative to 0.4%), and
– greater autoignition temperature (420 °C, comparative to 257-327 °C ) [4].
The operation of the SI engine can be assured by bioethanol use with the maintaining
or with the increases of engine energetically performance, without major design modifications
of the engine (the engine was equipped with standard equipments: intake-exhaust systems, fuel-
ling system, fuel filters, etc.), [6]. In the same time, as Bromberg et al. [7, 8] and Pana et al. [9]
affirm that at the bioethanol use the supercharging pressure can be increased without occurs of
the knock combustion at the supercharged SI engines.
The greater laminar flame velocity of the bioethanol comparative to the gasoline as-
sures the combustion duration decrease, the engine thermal efficiency increase, the possibilities
of leaner mixtures use and the quality adjustment use of the engine load [4, 9]. The use of
bioethanol assures an intake air efficient cooling effect due to its higher heat of vaporization, ef-
fect which is very important for the supercharged SI engine [7, 9]. The intake air cooling effect
leads to a volumetric efficiency improvement and reduces the risk knock development. Also due
to a lower in-cylinder temperature level is estimated the NOx emissions decrease. At the
bioethanol use, when its percentage in blend with gasoline increases, the fuel knock resistance
increases and allows the increasing of the supercharging pressure, helping to improve the engine
energetically performance [9]. The higher bioethanol octane number increases the auto-igniting
resistance of the end-gas zone and from this point of view ethanol may be considered an efficient
antiknock agent for the supercharged SI engines [9-11]. Christie [12] and Pana et al. [9] show
that the use of bioethanol-gasoline blends leads to the increase of the in-cylinder gases maxi-
mum pressure and of the maximum pressure rise rate due to better combustion proprieties of the
bioethanol, but through optimum ignition timing establishment, the engine mechanical stress
can be controlled. At the regime of engine maximum torque speed the brake specific fuel con-
sumption, evaluated in energetically units brake specific energetic consumption (BSEC), de-
creases with 7-10% at E85 use comparative to gasoline use due to better combustion proprieties
of the bioethanol [12]. Ananda et al. [13] showed that the brake thermal efficiency significant
increases with 13-22% at the increase of bioethanol content in mixture with gasoline at all en-
gine speeds comparative with gasoline. Also, they highlight a significant reduction of the emis-
sions level for CO, CO2, HC, and NOx (a SI engine with displacement of 0.8 dm3). For E60 in
mixture with 10% of 1.4 Dioxan (oxygenated additive) the following results were obtained: the
CO emission was reduced from 0.25% to 0.05% by volume; the CO2 emission was reduced
with 10% in the range of engine small speeds but increases by ~15% at the engine high speeds;
the HC emission was reduced with 66% at all engine speeds; the NOx emission was reduced with
55% for all engine speeds [13]. Al-Hasan [14] investigated a SI engine fuelled with E0, E50, and
E85 at various compression ratios (10:1 and 11:1), at full load regime for entire engine speeds
domain (1500-5000 [min–1]). Their experimental investigations show that the BSEC significant
decreases. The bioethanol becomes an efficient tool for emissions level control (CO, HC, and
NOx) when is used in blend with the gasoline. Gogos et al. [15] showed the effects of the ethanol
on CO, HC, and NOx emissions at an automotive SI engine fuelled with E10, E20, and E50.
Their results have shown pronounced decrease of the CO (29-91%) and HC (17-55%) emissions
Obeid, Z., et al.: Aspects of the Bioethanol Use at the Turbocharged ...
THERMAL SCIENCE: Year 2015, Vol. 19, No. 6, pp. 1959-1966 1961

at the ethanol percentage increase in blend with gasoline, but the NOx emissions level increases
at different engine speeds. According to the equipped level of the used engine (the engine was
not equipped with catalytic converter), the NOx emissions level increase is explained by authors
by the fact that the air-fuel mixture becomes leaner with increasing of the bioethanol amount in
the blends with gasoline. At partial engine loads, at ethanol fuelled engine, NOx emissions level
is lower comparative to gasoline fuelling due to a lower temperature level inside the engine cyl-
inder (ethanol has a higher vaporisation heat vs. gasoline). Also, they showed that emissions of
CO2 decreased (19-52%) due to better combustion. Jeuland et al. [16] specified that at high en-
gine loads the NOx emissions level can be controlled by operating at stoichiometric dosage with-
out risk of knock combustion, even at the supercharged engines [16]. An important advantage of
the bioethanol use is the brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) increase, advantage mentioned
in most research works. Thus, Jeuland et al. [16] found at an ethanol fuelled turbocharged en-
gine (E100 fuel type), that the BMEP increased with 15% comparative with gasoline fuelling.
Bio-ethanol contains acetic acid and therefore it corrodes aluminum alloys. It also ab-
sorbs the lead in alloys and finally the surfaces become porous. In order to avoid this issue it is
recommendable a nickel cladding for all those surfaces. Same phenomena may appear on plastic
parts of injection systems, filters or any plastic – rubber gaskets. It is recommendable to be man-
ufactured of nylon or raylon. Thus, different part of the classic fuelling systems must be replace-
ment or protected for ethanol use.
Bioethanol as alternative fuel for a supercharged SI engine can be used in mixture with
gasoline or as a single fuel, by injection in the intake manifold or in-cylinder direct injection.
The objective of the paper is to analyse the effects of bioethanol-gasoline blends on a turbo-
charged SI engine performance. As a research novelty is a correlation establish between air su-
percharging pressure- compression ratio-dosage-SI timing- brake power which assures the max-
imum pressure limitation and the avoiding of knock phenomena at the engine operate regime of
full load and 3000 min–1 speed. The indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) cycle variability
study for gasoline and E20 fuelling also becomes a novelty aspect.
Experimental investigations
The experimental investigations were carried out on an automotive modified SI engine
of 1.5 dm3 displacement (the aspirated engine was transformed in a turbocharged engine in the
laboratories from University Politehnica of Bucharest). Figure 1 presents the test bed schema.
The test bed was equipped with all instrumentations which assure the engine running control
and data acquisition.
The specifications of the engine are presented in tab. 1.
The experimental investigations were carried out at full load regime and speed of
3000 min–1, the engine being fuelled firstly with gasoline then with gasoline-bioethanol blend
(E20). For maximum pressure limitation and knock avoiding, the dosage (the air-fuel mixture
dosage was defined by the relative air/fuel ratio l), SI timing and supercharge pressure were
tuned and a correlation between these parameters and engine power was established. For gaso-
line engine were used rich dosages (0.91 ³ l £ 1) and for bioethanol engine were used dosages
from aria l = 0.98-1.07.
Results and discussion
In fig. 2 is presented the engine brake power vs. relative air-fuel ratio. For gasoline en-
gine, the maximum brake power is obtained for l = 0.91, the engine performance for this dosage
is considered as reference. At the bioethanol-gasoline blend fuelling (E20), the same maximum
 Obeid, Z., et al.: Aspects of the Bioethanol Use at the Turbocharged ...
1962 THERMAL SCIENCE: Year 2015, Vol. 19, No. 6, pp. 1959-1966

Figure 1. Test bed schema [9]

AGE – exhaust gas analyzer, AS – charge amplifier, B – battery, ca – intake manifold, CAD – data acquisition
computer, CAT – catalytic converter, ce – intake manifold, CF – dyno power cell, CG – fuelling system
computer, CIG – injectors actuation, ct – three way catalyst, DA – air flowmeter, DC – fuel flowmeter, EGR –
exhaust gas recirculation valve, F – eddy current dyno, FC – fuel filter, IND – indimodul 621 data acquisition
unit, IT – temperature indicators, M – DAEWOO 1.5 SI engine, MP – supercharging pressure manometer, ORS
– throttle, PCF – dyno command panel, R – engine cooler, RI – intercooler, RC – fuel reservoir, SA – power
supply, SCP – throttle actuator servomotor, SRAF – dyno scooling system, st – gas analyzer speed sensor, TC –
turbocompressor, tf – dyno cooling water temperature sensor, TF – dyno speed transducer, tp – cylinder
pressure transducer, TPU – angle encoder, UCP – principal electronic control unit, UCS – secondary
electronic control unit, UPF – dyno power unut, UPS – throttle actuator servo motor power unit, VE – cooling
electric fan for intercooler, x – electronic emitter-receptor

Table 1. Engine specifications

Modified DAEWOO brake power was obtained at the dosage
Engine type
Engine l= 0.98 due to better combustion proper-
ties of bioethanol comparative to gasoline
Number of cylinders 4
and due to the cylinder filling improve-
3 1.5
Displacement [dm ] ment (the bioethanol produces an intake air
Bore [mm] 76.5 efficient cooling with because the
81.5
bioethanol has the value of vaporization
Stroke [mm]
heat three times higher comparative to gas-
Ratio of crank radius length to 0.33 oline). In fig. 3 are shown the in-cylinder
connecting rod [–] pressure diagrams for gasoline and gaso-
Compression Ratio [–] 9.2 line-bioethanol blend (E20) fuelling at the
Multi point maximum power dosages (l = 0.91 for gas-
Fuelling system injection oline and l = 0.98 for E20). In case of E20
Obeid, Z., et al.: Aspects of the Bioethanol Use at the Turbocharged ...
THERMAL SCIENCE: Year 2015, Vol. 19, No. 6, pp. 1959-1966 1963

Figure 2. Brake engine power at full engine load Figure 3. Pressure diagrams at full engine load
and 3000 rpm and 3000 rpm
(for color image see journal web site)

Figure 4. Heat release rate vs. crankshaft angle Figure 5. Cycle heat release vs. crankshaft angle
(for color image see journal web site) (for color image see journal web-site)

fuelling, at the dosage l = 0.98, the SI timing is

greater comparative to gasoline fuelling at rich
dosage.
In figs. 4-9 there are presented the dosage ef-
fects on some cycle characteristics parameters.
The maximum pressure, pmax, has same value at
the dosage l = 0.98 for E20 fuelling compara-
tive to gasoline fuelling at the dosage l = 0.91,
fig. 3. In the figs. 4-5 are presented the heat re-
lease rate and heat release vs. crank angle de-
gree, for gasoline and E20 engine, obtained
from pressure diagrams processing. Compara- Figure 6. The BSEC vs.–1 relative air/fuel ratio at
full load and 3000 min
tive to gasoline, due to a higher burning rate
of bioethanol comparative to gasoline, at dosage
l = 0.98 and E20 fuelling the maximum heat release rate and combustion duration have compa-
rable values with the ones registered for dosage l = 0.91 and gasoline fuelling, figs. 4-5. The
maintaining of maximum pressure value, at the use of E20, is a big advantage for the engine reli-
ability. The maximum pressure, pmax, and maximum pressure rise rate, (dp/da)max, have the
same values of 6.8 MPa and 0.22 MPa/°CA, respectively, for all used dosages, but the BSEC of
 Obeid, Z., et al.: Aspects of the Bioethanol Use at the Turbocharged ...
1964 THERMAL SCIENCE: Year 2015, Vol. 19, No. 6, pp. 1959-1966

Figure 7. Relative NOx emissions vs. relative Figure 8. Relative CO emissions vs. relative
air/fuel ratio at full load and 3000 min –1 air/fuel ratio at full load and 3000 min –1

E20 fuelled SI engine (12502 kJ/kWh for l =

=.0.98) is lower than the BSEC value of the
gasoline fuelled SI engine (13091 kJ/kWh for
l = 0.91) fig. 6
The NOx emissions level accented decreases
at the E20 use fig. 7 due to the higher heat of va-
porization of bioethanol comparative to gaso-
line (the vaporisation of the bioethanol induces
a local cooling effect).
At the same maximum power, NOX emis-
sions level decreases with 50% for E20 fuelled
engine at dosage l = 0.98 comparative to gaso-
Figure 9. Relative HC emissions vs. relative line fuelled engine for l = 0.91, SI timing hav-
air/fuel ratio at full load and 3000 min –1 ing an important effect on NOx emission and
engine efficiency increases due to better com-
bustion proprieties of the bioethanol. And for the same dosage l = 0.98, the NOx emissions level
is smaller for E20 fuelled engine vs. gasoline fuelled engine, the engine power being greater, fig
7. Figure 8 shows the effect of bioethanol in blend with gasoline on CO emission. Since carbon
content of bioethanol is smaller comparative to gasoline and the oxygen content is greater, the
combustion process is improved and CO emission level decreases with 50% for E20 fuelling at
dosage l = 0.98 comparative to gasoline fuelling at l = 0.91.
The effect of bioethanol-gasoline blend (E20) on HC emissions is shown in fig. 9. The
HC emissions level decreases with 25% for E20 fuelling at dosage l = 0.98 comparative to gas-
oline fuelling at l = 0.91. The decrease of HC emissions level is similar to that of the presented
CO emissions level.
Also, another novelty aspect of this paper is the cycle variability study for the IMEP, of
turbocharged engine fuelled with bioethanol. The cycle variability can be characterised by coef-
ficients of in-cylinder pressure variation and the intensity of the cycle variety phenomena is de-
fined by the value of cycle, coefficient variability of (COV), [5]. The general response of the en-
gine at cycle to cycle combustion variability is well evaluated by the value of coefficient of
cycle variability calculated for defined as COVIMEP [5]. The COV of IMEP defines the engine
response to the combustion variability and practically establish the limit of mixture leaning. The
normal automotive engine manoeuvrability is assured if the values of COV are fewer than 10%
Obeid, Z., et al.: Aspects of the Bioethanol Use at the Turbocharged ...
THERMAL SCIENCE: Year 2015, Vol. 19, No. 6, pp. 1959-1966 1965

[5]. The COVIMEP was determined for 150 consecutive cycles. The cycle variability of the com-
bustion process is also affected by the bioethanol use. At l = 0.98, the E20 use improves the
general response of the engine on cycle variability of the combustion process. For this dosage,
the value of COVIMEP decreases, from 2.93% at gasoline fuelling down till 1.58% for E20 fuel-
ling.
From the point of view of cycle variability there is no need to set-up a limitation crite-
ria for the quantity of bioethanol in blends with gasoline.
Conclusions
This paper has presented the advantages of using bioethanol as fuel at turbocharged SI
engine.
At the E20 use, the same engine maximum power is obtained at dosage l= 0.98 com-
parative to gasoline fuelling, when this is obtained at rich dosage ( l = 0.91). At the E20 fuelling
the BSEC is smaller comparative to gasoline fuelling due to improvement of the combustion
process. For the investigated engine operating regime (full load and 3000 min–1), the maximum
pressure was limited by SI timing adjustment and dosage l= 0.98 use. Thus, the NOx emissions
level is controlled, obtaining a substantial reduction. Due to better combustion proprieties of
bioethanol, the CO and HC emissions level accented decreases. Bioethanol can be defined as an
efficient agent for knock avoiding. Thus, was possible to operate with the turbocharged engine
at the full load, with dosage l= 0.98 without occurs of knocking phenomena comparative to gas-
oline turbocharged engine which uses richer mixture dosages. A correlation established be-
tween air supercharging pressure-compression ratio-dosage-spark ignition timing-brake power
leads to the avoiding of knocking phenomena. There are not required engine design modifica-
tions at E20 use. The E20 fuelling reduces the cycle variability of the combustion process com-
parative to gasoline fuelling.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank to AVL List GmbH, Graz, Austria, for providing the
possibility to use the AVL equipments. The work has been funded by the Sectoral Operational
Programme Human Resources Development 2007-2013 of the Ministry of European Funds
through the Financial Agreement POSDRU/159/1.5/S/134398.

Nomenclature Greek symbols

BMEP – brake mean effective pressure a – crankshaft angle, [°CA]
BSEC – brake specific energetic consumption, b – spark ignition timing, [°CA]
....[kJkW–1h–1] l – air excess coefficient, [–]
CA – crankshaft angle, [deg.] dQ/da – heat release rate, [J°CA]
p – in-cylinder gases pressure, [MPa] Acronyms
E20 –. gasoline (80%)-bioethanol (20%)
... blend COV – coefficient of variation
Q – cycle heat release, [J] IMEP – indicated mean effective pressure
SI – spark ignition

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Paper submitted: February 12, 2015

Paper revised: October 8, 2015
Paper accepted: November 19, 2015

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